Zoning board denies Warners' petition

Local art patrons asked zoning officials to allow artist-in-residence program at Whispering Cliffs

Jack Warner, right, and his wife, Susan, petitioned the Tuscaloosa City Zoning Board of Adjustment to allow them to start an artist-in-residence program at their home, but their request was denied.

File | The Tuscaloosa News

By Ed EnochStaff Writer | The Tuscaloosa News

Published: Monday, January 27, 2014 at 11:00 p.m.

Last Modified: Monday, January 27, 2014 at 11:20 p.m.

The Tuscaloosa City Zoning Board of Adjustment on Monday denied a petition by Jack and Susan Warner for a variance to create an artist-in-residence program at Whispering Cliffs, the Warners' house on Lake Tuscaloosa.

The hearing on the variance lasted for more than an hour as opponents and supporters shared their thoughts with the board, which voted 3-2 against the Warners' petition.

“We are pleased. We love our neighborhood,” said Pam Askew, one of the residents who opposed the variance. “We love Jack Warner. We really hated that it came to a meeting like this.”

The variance would have allowed the three-story home at 2731 Battlement Drive NE, zoned R-1, to become a temporary residence for artists and art scholars working on art or scholarship as part of a residency program created through a partnership between the Warner Foundation and Samford University.

“We just presented what we thought was a proper use of the property. The board did not need it that way. We gave it our best effort,” Warner Foundation board member Skip Goodwin said.

The Warner's plan would allow three to six artists a year to reside in the first floor of the home on Lake Tuscaloosa for as long as two months with no more than one being in residence at a time, according to the meeting packet. The artists or scholars would be academically associated with Samford University, which would also be the venue for any public workshops or lectures.

A graduate student manager would reside in the guest house on the property to ensure the program runs smoothly. While there would be no public tours or commercial use, the agreement would allow small limited tours by Samford faculty, students and scholars, according to the packet.

“This would be the first such program of its kind in this part of the country,” Susan Warner said.

Samford University Arts Dean Joseph Hopkins called the proposed residency an extraordinary opportunity for the state.

Warner's wife and other advocates characterized the proposed residency as a low-key program that would not disrupt the neighborhood, but would enrich the arts culture of Tuscaloosa and the state while preserving Warner's legacy as a collector of American art and a supporter of American artists.

The advocates said a usage hardship was the basis of the request for the variance, with Goodwin and others arguing the residence, with many significant artistic features of its own besides the artwork, and the grounds were assets that could not be moved elsewhere for the program.

The opponents Monday argued the collection of artwork remained Warner's true legacy and the house and grounds were not a critical component to keeping the collection in Tuscaloosa or establishing the residency program.

“It does not have to be out here with our homes,” Askew said.

Askew, joined by her husband J.D. Askew, and other residents of the neighborhood voiced concerns that the variance would lead to decreased property values, security in the neighborhood, increased visitor traffic and a constant turnover of temporary residents as neighbors.

Citing previous complaints to the city about noise and traffic associated with the property dating to 2008, resident John Robb expressed concerns that the variance would lead to more disruptive activity in the neighborhood.

<p>The Tuscaloosa City Zoning Board of Adjustment on Monday denied a petition by Jack and Susan Warner for a variance to create an artist-in-residence program at Whispering Cliffs, the Warners' house on Lake Tuscaloosa.</p><p>The hearing on the variance lasted for more than an hour as opponents and supporters shared their thoughts with the board, which voted 3-2 against the Warners' petition. </p><p>“We are pleased. We love our neighborhood,” said Pam Askew, one of the residents who opposed the variance. “We love Jack Warner. We really hated that it came to a meeting like this.”</p><p>The variance would have allowed the three-story home at 2731 Battlement Drive NE, zoned R-1, to become a temporary residence for artists and art scholars working on art or scholarship as part of a residency program created through a partnership between the Warner Foundation and Samford University.</p><p>“We just presented what we thought was a proper use of the property. The board did not need it that way. We gave it our best effort,” Warner Foundation board member Skip Goodwin said. </p><p>The Warner's plan would allow three to six artists a year to reside in the first floor of the home on Lake Tuscaloosa for as long as two months with no more than one being in residence at a time, according to the meeting packet. The artists or scholars would be academically associated with Samford University, which would also be the venue for any public workshops or lectures. </p><p>A graduate student manager would reside in the guest house on the property to ensure the program runs smoothly. While there would be no public tours or commercial use, the agreement would allow small limited tours by Samford faculty, students and scholars, according to the packet.</p><p>“This would be the first such program of its kind in this part of the country,” Susan Warner said. </p><p>Samford University Arts Dean Joseph Hopkins called the proposed residency an extraordinary opportunity for the state.</p><p>Warner's wife and other advocates characterized the proposed residency as a low-key program that would not disrupt the neighborhood, but would enrich the arts culture of Tuscaloosa and the state while preserving Warner's legacy as a collector of American art and a supporter of American artists. </p><p>The advocates said a usage hardship was the basis of the request for the variance, with Goodwin and others arguing the residence, with many significant artistic features of its own besides the artwork, and the grounds were assets that could not be moved elsewhere for the program. </p><p>The opponents Monday argued the collection of artwork remained Warner's true legacy and the house and grounds were not a critical component to keeping the collection in Tuscaloosa or establishing the residency program. </p><p>“It does not have to be out here with our homes,” Askew said. </p><p>Askew, joined by her husband J.D. Askew, and other residents of the neighborhood voiced concerns that the variance would lead to decreased property values, security in the neighborhood, increased visitor traffic and a constant turnover of temporary residents as neighbors. </p><p>Citing previous complaints to the city about noise and traffic associated with the property dating to 2008, resident John Robb expressed concerns that the variance would lead to more disruptive activity in the neighborhood.</p><p>“Sheriffing is not my aspiration in life,” Robb said. </p><p>Reach Ed Enoch at ed.enoch@tuscaloosanews.com or 205-722-0209.</p>